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Conrad Swanson, an 82 year-old athlete from Morton Grove, shares a moment with his granddaughter during the Six-County Senior Olympics.

A bright-eyed six year old little girl stands near the finish line. GO, GRANDPA, GO! All eyes are fixed on her great-grandpa as he finished first in the 50-yard dash. The 1994 Illinois Parks and Recreation Association (IPRA) Six-County Senior Olympics were held July 27-29 at Main South High School in Park Ridge, IL. There were 648 participants ranging in age from 55 to 85. The philosophy of the Senior Olympics is to celebrate and promote health, fitness, friendship and maturity. As people are living longer, they are also becoming and staying more active. The Senior Olympics helps to promote the active lifestyle that is all too often cast aside as individuals age. Entry forms are mailed to past participants and are available at most park districts three months prior to the events. Participants must return the entry form along with a nominal entry fee ($7.00 for one day, $9.00 for two or three days). All participants receive an official confirmation of the events for which they have registered.

The day of the Senior Olympics, all participants must check in at the main registration area. At check in, they receive an official Senior Olympics packet containing a campus map, meal tickets (if requested), a Senior Olympics program and a Six-County Senior Olympics tee-shirt. All are included in the small entry fee. Participants are also invited to the opening ceremonies, which are held to kick off the events and include a keynote speaker, special invited guests, a band and much more.

To help pay for opening ceremonies and other expenses while maintaining minimal entry fees for the seniors, the committee solicits sponsors. In 1994 The American Lung Association, NBD Band, Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Humana Health Care were some of the sponsors. Even Southwest Airlines donated two tickets for anywhere Southwest flies. Sponsorship dollars also help to cover the cost of awards. At the first Senior Olympics, ribbons were awarded. Today, Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals that include the engraved IPRA Six-County Senior Olympics logo are awarded in each age category for every event.

The first IPRA Six-County Senior Olympics were held in 1981 at Northwestern University with 198 participants. In 1994, 131 towns were represented. Over the 13 year-history of this event, nearly 6,000 individuals have participated in Senior Olympics. Participants come from the Chicago area including the counties of Cook, Lake, McHenry, Will, Kane and DuPage. The event lasts three days and includes 15 main events: track and field, tennis, golf, table tennis, volleyball, horseshoes, archery, bowling, bike race, basketball, swimming, billiards, trap shoot, race walking and archery. Participants are required to bring their own equipment, which must meet all regulations of the competition. The Chairperson of each event runs the event and has the authority to make final calls.

Volunteers are the key to the IPRA Senior Olympics success. All event Chairpersons volunteer their time before, during and after the event. More than 100 volunteers provide the expertise and supervision necessary to assure a memorable experience for all participants. Fifteen committee members from area park districts including Addison, Bolingbrook, Dundee, Glen Ellyn, Golf Main, Arlington Heights, Park Ridge, Rolling Meadows, St. Charles, and Wheaton work throughout the year to organize the event. Many other park districts also lend their support. The park districts' involvement and input aid in the professionalism of the events.

22 • Illinois Parks & Recreation • November/December 1994

1994 brought growth in several of the events including volleyball and 9-hole golf. Both events more than doubled in size. Participants come back every year to see old friends and meet new competitors. Although the events are enjoyed by all, the competitive spirit is strong. The participants challenge others as well as themselves. As the events come to an end, everyone is welcome to celebrate another successful year at the annual Afterbash. The Afterbash is held at a local banquet hall and includes dinner, entertainment, music for dancing and door prizes. It is a great way to share in the fellowship of the Olympics.

Many people and organizations make the IPRA Six-County Senior Olympics a success. However, it is the spirit of the seniors that shine! These events can help even the casual observer recognize it is not your age, but your attitude that matters.

Theresa A. Forthofer is the Senior Citizen Supervisor for the Wheaton Park District. •

The Illinois Senior Olympics The first senior games were held in California in 1969, but the number of local and state games did not begin to grow rapidly until the 1980s. The Illinois Senior Olympics began in 1977 and Illinois seniors competed in the first nationwide games held in 1987. Social interaction is as much apart of it as the competition, and more than 200,000 people nationwide now compete in senior games in 48 states. This year in Illinois, national qualifying games were held in DeKalb, Edwardsville, Macomb, Mount Vernon, Rockford, Springfield, the Quad Cities, Quincy and West Chicago. The games began in April and continued through September with seniors age 55 to 96 competing in 54 events, including running, basketball, racquetball, archery and golf. Winners qualified for the biennial national championships where more than 8,000 athletes are expected to attend the fifth U.S. Senior Sports Classic in San Antonio, Texas, in the summer of 1995. For more information, contact Annette Fuchs, Director of the Illinois Senior Olympics, at 217-789-2284.

Illinois Parks & Recreation • November/December 1994 • 23